The Magazine - Virginia SAR

The Magazine

Williamsburg Chapter Virginia Society

Sons of the American Revolution

By signing the Declaration of Independence, the fifty-six Americans pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. Nine died of wounds during the Revolutionary War, Five were captured or imprisoned. Wives and children were jailed, mistreated, or left penniless. Twelve signer's houses were burned to the ground. No signer defected. Their honor, like their nation remained intact.

Vol. XIX

No. 5

May 2015

Message from the President

Gentlemen, our Chapter has traditionally been an active participant in the May Williamsburg Memorial Day events. On Monday the 25 of May we have again been invited to participate in the day set aside to honor our nation's military members. It is especially appropriate for us, as SAR members, to attend the Memorial Day events. An SAR presence provides a visual reminder to our fellow citizens of the sacrifices that created their Republic 240 years ago.

The celebration starts at the Governor's Palace at 9:45am. Our Chapter and the DAR will present wreaths and our Color Guard members act as honor guards. All Chapter members are encouraged to walk with the speakers, Color Guard, and Fife & Drums to Bruton Parish Church. Events at the Church will include a wreath presentation, a brief Memorial Day message by LtCol Carl Polifka, and a hymn played by the CW Fife & Drum Corps. The entourage will continue to the site of the graves of our Revolutionary War French allies near Providence Hall. At the conclusion of these ceremonies our SAR chapter will convene at the King's Arms restaurant for lunch and a short May Chapter Meeting.

Members who might consider participating in all of the events a bit too physically challenging should plan on joining us at the Kings Arm's Tavern on DuMkeaoyf 2G01l5oucester St. at 11:30am. Please get your

Duke of Gloucester Street at 11:30am. Please get your reservations to Jack Lee soonest to allow the tavern to set aside enough spaces for us.

Participation in state wide events has been our hallmark for April. On 18 April two of our members joined VASSAR History Day Chairman, Tom Whetstone and Thomas Nelson Chapter President, Bruce Meyer judging all state wide entries whose topic dealt with the American Revolutionary War. A middle school entry titled Patrick Henry and a senior high essay on Thomas Jefferson were awarded VASSAR certificates and medals, as well as $100.00 each from our Williamsburg Chapter. We were also represented by several members at James Monroe's 257 Birthday Anniversary at his home in Westmoreland County and at the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. Our Chapter ceremonial wreath was presented at both events.

Tom Morr presented SAR certificates and silver medals to the Outstanding ROTC Cadet at the College of William and Mary and to the Outstanding High School ROTC Cadet at Charles City County High School.

Let us pledge to honor our Patriot ancestors' on our nation's Memorial Day by attending the meeting at King's Arms on 25 May.

- Don Swain

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Williamsburg Chapter

Sons of the American Revolution

Williamsburg Chapter Meeting ? April 11th, 2015

Don Swain, President of the Williamsburg chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, inducts, and presents Lantz Mearkle with his membership certificate.

Richard Newhouse, WMBG SAR Historian, receiving the SAR membership of the Vietnam Veterans Corp from Don Swain, Williamsburg

Chapter SAR President.

L-R: Beverly Mearkle, Lantz Mearkle, Don Swain.

Barbara Tyler-Mullins, Colonial Williamsburg Program Coordinator, receiving a Certificate of Appreciation from Don Swain, Williamsburg Chapter SAR President. Ms. Tyler-Mullins is

the coordinator for all SAR activities at Colonial Williamsburg, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day.

Richard Newhouse, Don Swain.

Mitchell B. Reiss and Colonial Williamsburg were presented with the SAR Commonwealth Certificate by the Williamsburg Chapter of SAR President, Don Swain, for Colonial Williamsburg's help in Sons of the American Revolution ceremonies at Colonial Williamsburg, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day. Previously Mr. Reiss was President of Washington College, a former professor at William & Mary, envoy to Northern

Ireland, with diplomatic rank of Ambassador.

Barbara Tyler-Mullins, Don Swain.

October 2014

Michael B. Reiss, Don Swain.

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Williamsburg Chapter

Chapter/VASSAR Calendar

Upcoming SAR Events in Our Region & Beyond

MAY 16th, 2015 Masonic Cemetery Plaque Unveiling

Fredericksburg, VA MAY 26th, 2015

Williamsburg Chapter Meeting Williamsburg, VA

Memorial Day CW/SAR/DAR JUNE 5th-7th, 2015

Lafayette's Hermione Voyage 2015 Yorktown, VA (p. 4)



JUNE 13th, 2015 Joint Williamsburg/Thomas Nelson Jr.

Chapter Meeting Williamsburg, VA

JUNE 20th, 2015 Ware Episcopal Church Grave Markings

Middlesex County, VA JUNE 20th, 2015

Spencer's Ordinary Commemoration Williamsburg, VA JULY 4th, 2015 Independence Day

SAR-Bruton Parish/DAR-Berkeley Plantation

JULY 25th, 2015 Old Augusta Stone Church at Ft. Defiance

Grave Markings Near Harrisonburg, VA

Sons of the American Revolution

May 25th Chapter Luncheon

The Williamsburg Chapter invites all members and their ladies to attend the Memorial Day No-Host Luncheon Meeting at the King's Arms Tavern Garden in Colonial Williamsburg, immediately proceeding our Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Governor's Palace, Bruton Parish Church, and the French burialground. We will be proudly inducting new members.

Date: Monday, May 25th, 2015 Location: King's Arms Tavern

Colonial Williamsburg 416 East Duke of Gloucester Street

Pre-Luncheon Events: 9:45 am Meeting: 11:30 am

Sign-up Info on Page 9 for the Memorial Day May 25th Meeting @ 11:30 am.

Reservations MUST be received not later than Friday, May 23rd.

125th Annual Congress

June 25th ? July 1st, 2015, Louisville, KY

The following is the passkey site for reservations for the Galt House Hotel and the SAR rate:

If you experience a problem while using this webpage, please contact Paul Callanan, NSSAR Congress Planning Chair at 906-273-2424 or email ltcmrsc@. He will contact the hotel and get them to

correct the issue. Additionally, you can call the hotel at 1-800- THE-GALT (1-800-8434258). Then press "1" when prompted. Make sure you inform them you

are with the SAR for the Congress to get the right room rate.

Speaking of rooms and rates, there are two types: Deluxe Rivue Rooms (either two Queen or one King bed)

for $125.00 per night plus taxes; Executive Suites (two Queen beds) for $145.00 per night plus taxes.

Now some miscellaneous information: The closet in the regular rooms are like a normal hotel room about 36" of hanging space. The closet in a Executive Suite are about 48"

long. Wifi is free in the room if you are listed as SAR. Mini-refrigerators are available in the Executive Suites. There are no refrigerators in the Deluxe Rivue Rooms.

Parking is $10.00 per day. This is a price reduction.

May 2015

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Williamsburg Chapter

Sons of the American Revolution

James Monroe's 257th Birthday Ceremony in Westmoreland County

On April 25th 2015,Members of the Williamsburg Chapter SAR attended the 257th birthday celebration ceremony for James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, held at his birthplace and park in Westmoreland County, Virginia, hosted by the James Monroe Memorial Foundation.

US Congressman Rob Wittman joins Williamsburg Chapter SAR Historian Richard Newsome with the wreath that was presented by the Williamsburg Chapter to honor President James Monroe at Monroe's 257th Birthday Celebration.

VASSAR 2nd Vice-President Ed Truslow, center, presents the wreath from VASSAR to honor President James Monroe at the

257th Birthday Celebration on April 25th at his Birthplace and Park in Westmoreland Co, Virginia.

Richard Newsome, third from the left, presents the wreath.

October 2014

Richard and Ed

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Williamsburg Chapter

Sons of the American Revolution

Hermione Voyage 2015

Yorktown Arrival Ceremony Run of Show June 5th, 2015

1. 8:30am ? 21 Gun Salute and Hermione Cannon Fire followed by 30 seconds of fireworks/smoke

2. 8:30am ? Hermione arrives at yorktown dock, prepares to lower gangways

3. 9:00am ? Gangways ready 4. 9:00am ? Coast Guard inspection 5. 10:00am - Brief remarks to queue French songs from rigging and

gather guests along shore for viewing 6. 10:01am ? French Songs from rigging 7. 10:11am ? Guest gather in their seats 8. 10:16am ? Color Guard presentation/performance 9. 10:21am ? American National Anthem 10. 10:25am ? French National Anthem 11. 10:29am ? Opening remarks by Miles Young; introduce Governor

McAuliffe 12. 10:34am ? VA Governor's remarks 13. 10:44am ? Miles Young introduces Segolene Royal 14. 10:46am ? Segolene Royal remarks 15. 10:51am ? Miles introduces Fife & Drum performance 16. 10:53am ? Fife & Drum performance 17. 10:58am ? Miles introduces Chair of Board of Supervisors, Tom

Sheppard 18. 11:00am ? Tom Sheppard's remarks and introduction of General

Assembly of VA (David Yancey) 19. 11:05am ? Presentation of the General Assembly of VA

Proclamation to the ship Captain, Yann Cariou 20. 11:15am ? Miles introduces National Parks Service/National

Historic Trail/W3R (Joe di Bello) 21. 11:17am ? Joe di Bello presents NHT Banner to ship Captain Yann

Cariou 22. 11:22am ? Miles gives Closing Remarks and invites guests to join

for first look on the ship (followed by W3R plaque and wreathlaying ceremony)

23. 11:27am ? Press and VIPs visit the Hermione 24. 11:57am ? Miles invites guests to join W3R plaque reveal

(followed by wreath-laying ceremony at French Sailors and Soldiers Memorial)

25. 11:59am ? Press and VIPs escorted of Hermione to W3R plaque reveal

26. 12:04pm ? W3R plaque reveal 27. 12:19pm ? Guests walk to French Sailors and Soldiers Memorial

28. 12:44pm ? Bugler playing Taps upon arrival 29. 12:47pm ? Army (TBD) gives remarks 30. 12:52pm ? Wreath laid

31. 12:75pm ? Fife & Drum performance as guests depart 32. 1:02pm ? Invited guests to make their way to Hornsby House

lunch, hosted by Miles 33. 1:12pm ? Hornsby House lunch hosted by Miles; invite only

For more information on the project and voyage, please visit:

Hermione Meeting at York Hall

Gentlemen,

I attended the subject meeting last night in York Hall and the following are the major items of what transpired:

The York County Hermione website is up and running and has a comprehensive schedule of both pre-visit and visit events. It may be accessed at

Due to unrelated ship activity in Norfolk, the Hermione will sail into the York River Thursday evening and "hide" upriver until sailing into Yorktown 8:30am Friday morning.

Ship visitation hours and people numbers have been increased. They plan on 300 people an hour in groups of 25. The hours are 2:00-7:00pm Friday and 9:00am7:00pm Saturday and 9:00am-4:00pm Sunday as noted on the website schedule.

The free ticket booth opens 12:00pm Friday and 8:00am Saturday and Sunday. The tickets will be marked with a boarding time.

Note that the website schedule is subject to change

VASSAR will not have any role other than possibly the VASSAR Color Guard. I brought the subject up at both the March meeting and the one last night and the York County Parks manager said color guard participation in the ceremony at the French monument was a possibility but the issue was "number 27" on the hit list. I sent him an e-mail this morning requesting that if a positive answer materializes, we need to know that very soon. I am not very optimistic about the outcome however.

More meetings are in the offing and I will attend if possible. I am very curious if the Mount Vernon and Alexandria visits are any different regarding SAR nonparticipation.

Best regards,

- Ed Truslow

May 2015

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